Growth and development of young chicken crosses Lomann Braun-classic, Braun Nick, coral, super nick

Introduction. Directed breeding of young laying egg crosses' hens is an important technological aspect in the system “daily chickens – replacement chickens ‒ industrial flock of hens”. The main indicators predetermining the time of sexual maturity of ‘young ones’ are the intensity of growth and development, determined, first of all, by live weight, which optimal values are developed for each analyzed cross. Biologically conditioned feeding and maintenance of poultry promotes the optimal live weight gain of chickens, resulting to a homogeneous flock of healthy and ‘fertile’ chickens. The aim of the study is to analyze the results of the growth rate in replacement young chickens with different genetic components. Materials and methods. The object of the study is the replacement young chickens of the crosses ‘Lohmann Brown-Classic’, ‘Brown Nick’, ‘Coral’ and ‘Super Nick’ (the experimental stock was 400 heads). Biological features of live weight growth (according to generally accepted methods) of young stock for the periods of 7, 14 and 21 weeks were studied. Results and Discussion. Value of live weight and average daily gain of young chickens of Lohmann Brown-Classic cross was higher than in Brown Nick cross and ‘white’ crosses (with a reliable difference) by 0.9‒16.7 % during the experimental period. Brown Nick cross chickens significantly surpassed the chickens of Coral and Super Nick crosses by 5.7‒18.4 % in age dynamics in analyzed parameters. Live weight of Coral cross hens was relatively higher by 5.8‒9.3 % in comparison with Super Nick cross hens among ‘white’ crosses. Conclusion. Taking into account to the growth rate of young stock in rearing periods is the main parameter for obtaining a homogeneous flock of poultry. Normalized and balanced feeding and maintenance of young stock determines the growth and weight measurements as well as the peak of egg production and duration of egg-laying period in hens, will be higher.